Executioner
by Blackguard83
Summary: Methos steals the Key or should I say kidnaps it? and heads on homicide mission to Middle Earth. BtVS Highlander LOTR crossover. chapter 12 uploaded. Read and Review!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

A seemingly fourteen-year-old girl aimlessly wondered the streets of Sunnydale, not really paying any attention to her surroundings. The reason for it being somewhat fundamental - entire world around her has just crumbled. At first she tried to think about as being ruined, unconsciously trying to find someone she could blame for it, someone responsible, her sister for being a Slayer, her mother for not being her real mother, Giles for being incompetent enough not to keep his possessions well protected from inquiring mind of fourteen-year-old teenager, (heck technically speaking 6 months old baby!), Spike for agreeing to help her to break in into Magic Box, monks for figuring nothing better to protect their precious Key than by creating her however they managed to pull this out, the new Big Bad - Glory - for forcing monks to do that, heck anyone as long she could figure out the reasons to blame. And no matter how ridiculous they would be, they would fit as long as they served the purpose of distracting her from asking herself those questions, those damn questions. But there was no one really to blame except maybe those monks that created her and her fake memories, again however they managed to pull this out, and the collapse of her world was only a matter of time and it didn't really matter who or what triggered it and Dawn instinctively knew it. Life sucked and you had to deal with that. What once again brought her to those creeping questions that she tried unconsciously to avoid: Who am I, What am I? Am I more than just the Key? Do I really belong here? Psychologist would state that she was experiencing identity crisis at the moment, but Dawn didn't have a word for it, she was supposed to be fourteen year old after all. And having a word for the problem doesn't necessary makes it easier to solve it anyway. So here she was again - aimlessly wondering the streets of Sunnydale trying to find the answers for questions, she couldn't possibly hope to find and paying very little attention to what was going on around, which wasn't a very smart thing to do considering where she was living.

However even if she was the most vigilant person in Sunnydale, the honor of being one currently belonging to Slayer, she would hardly be able to notice a pair of hazel eyes that were following her progress on her way to nowhere in particular.

It was time to act. Which basically meant that two weeks of careful planning were going to be thrown out through the window. And considering that it was Methos who was behind planning, the Plan must have been really good even if it took only 2 days to develop. But it didn't matter now. Even though Methos was of a high opinion of his ability to plan things ahead and then precisely executing them, which very rarely failed him, he knew the value of being flexible and not restricting himself to initial plan of actions when necessary. Ability to carefully plan and adapt depending on situation at the same time was one of the things that made him so successful at keeping his head for the last 5 millennia. That's why he didn't hesitated now. He knew an opportunity when he saw one and he was going to use it.

The girl was wondering the streets without any noticeable pattern and any escort whatsoever for the last fifteen minutes. Potentially it could be a trap to lure him out if they somehow have managed to notice his unhealthy interest in Slayer' residence, but that was unlikely, since he have seen how the kid fled the house through the window of her bedroom and has followed her ever since. And Slayer most likely wouldn't risk her little 'sister' in such a manner especially when she knew what exactly and how important she was. The kid was obviously under a lot of stress at the moment, caring little about her surroundings, therefore bumping into occasional obstacles in her wake for example other pedestrians plus her eyes seemed to be wet. And there she was fifteen meters away from the place where he parked his SUV and approximately in the next 30 seconds was expected to pass it by. It was dumb luck. Methos was parking his SUV every time in different place and at respectful distance from Slayer's residence whenever he was going to spy on it. This time it happened to be a deserted street with only two people except Dawn both heading side by side in opposite direction than she. They were obviously lovers too preoccupied with each other to even notice the frustrated state of the kid or him hiding on the other side of the road. It was time to act.

Methos quickly crossed the street without making any noise with his feet, a skill that he had perfected so long ago, that he couldn't even remember when exactly. Possibly he acquired it in the early stages of his live when his survival in the wild depended more on the control of his body than on his sharp mind. Even Duncan Macleod who has spent some time of his live with American Indians or Amanda, a professional thief of no little skill, could match him in ability to keep silence on the move. The faint signature of pre-immortal as he approached his target from the back somewhat surprised him but didn't lower his determination or slowed his pace. He pressed the button on the remote controller of his car opening the doors almost on the last second before the attack. Even if Dawn wouldn't be so deep in her uneasy thoughts she would never notice that something was wrong because the SUV standing near by never made a beeping sound or any other noise, not even a brief flash of lights she wouldn't be able to see anyway. It was something that Methos also took care of with any car he was using. She never knew what hit her. It took only 4 seconds. One second to perform a disabling move that took away her consciousness and to open the door of the car. Two seconds to put her inside the SUV and close the door. And one second to open another door, to get into driver seat and close the door. It didn't take a lot of time for SUV to disappear from not only the street, but Sunnydale either, since the eldest immortal alive really didn't fancy hanging around the Hellmouth unless he had a very good reason, especially with the Slayer and the Beast around, not mentioning the Key on the backseat of his car. No one saw Dawn Summers in Sunnydale since then. Ever.

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	2. Chapter 2

Dedicated to my only reviewer Kenny7 :)

Chapter 2

For the third night in a row the lights inside Magic Box were indicating that something was amiss. It was very unlikely that shopkeeper decided to make the place operational 24 hours a day. Considering the vast denizens of Sunnydale especially those that preferred the darkness of the night it might have been an ingenious commercial decision. But it would be doomed from the very start by the obvious direct relation of the owner of the shop to the infamous Buffy Summers, better known as Slayer in the underworld of Sunnydale. To make things even more interesting the shop was closed even at daytime for the last three days, but only to the potential customers. And that was definitely not the way to run business if you wanted to prosper. To add insult to injury it was plainly visible to everyone that the place wasn't empty. In fact it was a boiling cauldron with people entering and leaving the place every five minutes or so.

The explanation was rather simple. As usually in the times of crisis the Magic Box has become Head Quarters for Slayer and her gang once again. And if the disappearance of the Key wasn't a crisis, then nothing was. For the last three days everything that could be done in the effort to find Dawn was given a try. Everyone willing to volunteer and to offer help wasn't turned away: friends, neighbors, Dawn' classmates, even Spike, especially Spike with his vast connections among demons. Buffy even has done unthinkable and visited Glory in a careful attempt to find out if she was responsible. To make things even more complicated, these last three days got the better of Joyce and she was once again hospitalized.

So on the third night since Key' disappearance she was finally here, standing 60 feet away in the shadows of a building across the street from Magic Box and watching the lights in its windows with her keen, if somewhat hard, green eyes. Catching only glimpses of several people through the windows she could feel their desperation even from here. She was probably their only hope, even if they didn't know it, and they would need all of her help especially if her suspicions were to be confirmed true. Deciding not to waste any more time in this foul place than was necessary, even if being relatively save from the evil that lurked in the streets thanks to her nature, she started towards the door of the Magic Box with determination written all over her beautiful, if somewhat strict, face.

The air in Magic Box was indeed filled with desperation and smoke from Spike' cigarettes. No one seemed to protest about him smoking anymore understanding that it was just his own way to fight stress and silently appreciating his concern. Xander and Anya were engaged in silent, but agitated conversation in the corner of the room. Tara disappeared in the bathroom again, not being able to bear all those strong emotions emanating from her friends for longer than half an hour. Meanwhile Giles, Willow and Buffy were still silently sitting around the table in the middle of the room though their short conversation concerning Joyce' condition were finished minutes ago. The first two were pretending to read the books in their poorly masked deception to stay close to Buffy in their silent support. Giles was carefully stealing glances at Buffy and Willow from time to time. While Willow who was not even bothering turning pages of her book anymore was doing the same at Buffy. They didn't have to bother being careful though since Buffy was ignoring them both and everything around her anyway.

She leaned at the table with both of her elbows, holding her head in her hands and looking at the pile of the books in the middle of the table with an empty stare, buried deep in her thoughts. Brooding. Completely still. She recently returned from the hospital after staying for several hours near the bed of her unconscious mother and still had a lot of to think about. The problem was that she didn't know where to start, since whatever happened to Dawn happened without a trace and leaving them completely without any clues whatsoever. And as hard as she tried now she couldn't order her mind to arrange her thoughts after three days of fruitless efforts to track her little sister. Exactly, Dawn was _her_ little sister and she didn't thought about her as Key anymore. Maybe the fear she experienced earlier this day when Joyce was hospitalized made her change her perception of Dawn so much, she wasn't sure, but it was sure as hell that the fear to be completely left without family in this world made her froze in terror. But in terror or not she was still Slayer and it was she who was the first to register the soft, but insistent knock on the door. To utter amazement of Giles and Willow who only second before regarded completely still Buffy with expressions of worry and concern on their faces, the table they were sitting at violently shook as Slayer leaped from her chair and with unnatural speed headed towards the door, drawing attention of everyone else in the room, including Spike who just finished his cigarette and also heard knocking on the door.

Deep in her heart hoping to see Dawn behind the door, but in her mind quickly realizing that this was hardly possible, Buffy was still completely unprepared to meet anyone but Dawn when she swung the door wide open, not talking about a very attractive tall woman, with feline eyes, soaring cheekbones and a beautiful mane of long brown hair almost reaching her waist. She was wearing black trench coat with dark blue blouse and white silk scarf. Then Buffy realized that she was staring at the woman with interest and disappointment at the same time. A woman gave her a curious look and softly whispered so only Buffy could hear:

"Sorry. It is not she, but I came to help. May I come in?"

Buffy hesitated for a moment. Something about this woman' eyes and voice reminded her of Drusilla, only without malice in it. Also she could swear that she could feel a light tingling sensation at the back of her neck for a moment. Still something about the woman' voice that so conveniently sparked a feeling of hope inside her again made her accept and with a slow, barely visible nod she let the woman in. If woman was able to impress Buffy for a moment, you could say that she made a lasting impression on the other members of "gang". Something about her pace and the way she was holding herself gave her a regal look. Giles slowly stood up and was obviously staring, while Willow and Xander opened their mouths in awe. Only Spike and Anya seemed to resist her charm and while the former let out a barely audible uncharacteristic hiss and visibly tensed, which Buffy noticed not without interest, the latter gave Xander a not too gentle slap on the back of his head. And while Xander was turning his head with the words of protest forming on his lips something about the woman caught Anya' attention, too, and forced her to jump on her feet and to give a woman incredulous look.

"You!" she exclaimed and made several quick short steps toward the woman as if to get a better look. Then she suddenly halted as if confirming her suspicions and accusingly pointed a finger in woman' direction "Return where you came from. This is not your place!"

Xander mistakenly thinking that he knew what provoked Anya' reaction also rose to his feet, with annoyed look on his face: "Anya, this is not what you are..." But Anya was too quick to react for him and cut him in mid-sentence:

"No, you don't understand, she is an Enemy" she stated as if it supposed to mean something, however, it drew an approving nod from vampire. The mysterious woman at first seemed as if she wanted to say something, but just rolled her eyes at the last statement. Meanwhile Spike obviously alerted just by her very presence in the same room as him and getting confirmation of his own suspicions from Anya, suddenly hissed at the woman drawing attention to himself:

"Explain yourself. And make it, good." Stressing the last word that left no questions of what he implied.

The woman again at first opened her mouth for a moment as if she wanted to say something, then just shook her head in disbelief. And then decided to accept the challenge for what it was.

"You. Dare. Threaten. Me. Vampire?" she said stressing every word herself and made five steps in Spike' direction, one for every hissed word, with a sly grin and a promise of pain in her eyes. Spike just smiled in return exposing his fangs and leaped.

And then all the hell broke loose.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Tara who sneaked out of the bathroom just a minute ago without drawing attention was also observing confrontation not without interest. The mysterious woman drew her attention instantly and not only just because of her good looks. She was radiating something that immediately singled her out in Tara' eyes. And curiosity got the better of young witch. After few moments of concentration she found what she was looking for. Woman' aura was something Tara has never experienced before and she could only gape with genuine awe. Glowing soft white energy all around the woman was already out of any natural proportions by human standards, but it was far from all. From inside the woman radiated the similar energy only a little bluish in color and a lot more intense. It was so intense that in later stages of her life Tara would define it as an eye-watering experience bordering on the feeling of pleasure and pain. But then happened something what the young witch hadn't bargained for. Spike leaped at the intruder and then in a sudden flash of energy all the pleasure was gone and there was left only pain.

Buffy instantly regretted letting the woman in. Normally she would find it somewhat amusing seeing Spike rolling in agony on the floor after the spoilt attack on a human. But the sudden ear-piercing scream from Tara and the "scream" of her own spider sense at the back of her neck, that until this very moment remained treacherously silent and now was breaking all records on the scale of danger left no place for amusement. There was something more to this then just a chip in Spike' head. And Slayer wouldn't be denied her answers.

Cassandra, for that was her name, decided to show some sense though and carefully took a step back from Spike who was still lying on the floor and slowly raised both her hands in the air trying to appear as less dangerously as was possible in her situation. She was too aware of the very pissed off Slayer behind her. Then she simply closed her eyes in attempt to tame her quickening once again. Willow without second thought rushed to Tara's side and kneeled over her body tending to her friend. Whatever happened to Tara and Spike didn't affect her, as it had no effect on Giles, Xander and Anya. The first two still stood where they were with clueless expressions on their faces first looking at helpless Spike then at immobile Tara and then at grim Buffy not daring to ask any questions. Anya who was also holding her ground suddenly became silent, though she was far from clueless, thus praising whatever gods and fate that she was no longer a demon. Meanwhile Buffy whose first intention was to give an intruder a good kick in the back decided to play along and carefully crept from behind at Cassandra. The sense of danger in her neck was slowly but steadily diminishing and when she was right behind a woman it altogether disappeared. However that fact wasn't going to prevent Slayer from asking one simple question:

"What are you?" she asked, her voice filled with undisguised menace.

Cassandra let out a silent sigh and opened her eyes, then slowly turned around to face Slayer. Her answer was simple as the question:

"Enemy…" she calmly stated, but was quick to add "…to demons." gesturing behind her back with a hand to where Spike was still laying.

"But we prefer to call ourselves immortals" she said after a pregnant pause realizing that Buffy expected more of an answer.

Giles that till this moment and through whole ordeal remained silent echoed Cassandra with undisguised curiosity: "Immortals… how very interesting. I read a lot about your kind, but never met one."

Then Anya decided to add her two cents too: "She broke the truce," she said with a hint of accusation in her voice but more calmly than before.

"The truce was already broken," Cassandra replied somewhat irritated. "But that doesn't really matter now," she turned to Buffy again "what really matters is that I know what happened to the Key" she claimed, not without hidden intent using the word "key" to press her point.

Buffy blinked at her once, her face unreadable mask and said impassively: "Dawn. From now on you will refer to her as Dawn" her tone living no place to objections. Then turned around and without saying another word headed in Tara's direction.

Cassandra could only stare at the retreating form of a Slayer in utter surprise and shook her head with smile on her face. She already liked the girl. Then turned around and looked down at the Spike who was now sitting on the floor surrounded by Giles, Anya and even Xander and seemed feeling better, but still held his head in his hands rubbing his temples.

"Get up, vampire. The pain will only be passing. You should survive the process" she taunted without real heat or bitterness in her voice.

Spike figured that this was as close to apology as he was going to get to apology and since he had no intention to apologize himself, it will have to do. Then he forced himself to his feet and faced the woman once again: "Name's Spike".

She gave him a curious look and nodded once "Cassandra" she offered in return and after a moment headed in Tara's direction, too.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

After Cassandra managed to restore Tara's inner equilibrium using the power of Voice, what on outside looked as if she were soothing a child, Willow rewarded her with an incredulous look "How did you do that?" she demanded, not fooled by the deceptive appearance of the act. She was basically saying to Tara all the same things and words to no effect whatsoever.

"It is the Voice" Cassandra decided to be honest and confessed one of her darkest secrets. Trying to deceive red haired girl by hiding her skill of persuasion, that some would define as manipulation, could prove counter-productive on the long run. The cat was out of the bag anyway and the vigilant Slayer standing near by and catching every word and detail was another good reason not to lie as any. So Cassandra decided to take a little bit different approach to this remarkable group of individuals than she originally intended and be more open. "I will explain everything a little bit later, ok?" she offered

If Willow had any objections, they were instantly dismissed when Tara, now lying on the sofa, let out a soft moan. "Your… your aura, it is beautiful" she said weakly, but sincere "I… I couldn't resist. I am sorry"

Cassandra just gave her a knowing smile and said, "I figured as much". Tara had a very special talent similar to Cassandra' and with a proper training she could develop the Voice as well.

"The flash, the energy" Tara pressed on, amazed by her own bravery and obviously feeling a lot better than just moments before "what was it?"

"It is called Quickening" Cassandra answered with a soft smile and mysterious gleam in her eyes. "It is part of what I am, part of my soul"

"Okaaay" Buffy, who now seemed to be more relaxed and with less tension in her muscles, started slowly pacing around "Enemies, Immortals, Truce, Voice, Quickening… Giles?" she asked with fake hope on her face.

Giles just shook his head with resignation: "Well, I read a little about immortals in watcher council' library just before graduating. Mysterious people with swords, living virtually forever, fighting their own private wars…"

"Excuse me" Buffy quickly interrupted and turned to Cassandra "Swords?" she asked as if requesting confirmation to what Giles just said.

"Just a moment" Cassandra replied and quickly retrieved a beautiful blade from its hiding place somewhere inside her trench coat, then exposed it for Buffy to take a better look. She was holding the sword tip down by the part of the blade near hilt, which seemingly lacked edge, and allowing the hilt to be in view. The sword itself was a unique masterpiece with a three feet long sharp double-edged blade and a jeweled hilt specially made for Cassandra's hand.

"Wow" Buffy gasped, not sure if she was more impressed by the sword itself or by the fact that she had no idea that Cassandra carried it under her trench coat, "Pretty" she quickly added with a smirk. As every self-respectable Slayer, Buffy had a soft spot for fancy weapons. Then returning to the matter at hand she quickly turned to Giles:

"Please, continue"

Giles took an extra second to gape at the sword, apparently watcher had a soft spot for pretty sharp objects as well. To his credit he quickly gathered himself and the next moment was in his usual lecturing mode.

"Oh well as I said there was painfully little information about immortals. It seems that demons tend to avoid immortals at all cost, and immortals care little for anything but their own kind. That would explain why we have never met one, until now" he pointed out giving a glance to Cassandra, who hid her sword once again. "I hope that Cassandra and Anya could shed some light on this matter for our benefit" he finished with an expectant look on his face.

Anya, who this time remained prudently silent until this very moment grabbed an opportunity once again before Cassandra could say anything.

"It is because of the Truce" she explained "The demons may not interfere with immortals, while immortals instinctively tend to avoid foul places such as Sunnyhell or any other hellmouth.

"Then why did you call Cassandra an Enemy" Xander pointed out. "I mean if both demons and immortals play by the rules…", he quickly added to support his point.

"Well it is somewhat of anachronism" she stated and not stopping to gasp for air started to explain, "You see as D'Hoffryn explained to me, before Powers That Be forced the Truce between demons and immortals several millennia ago, to cross an immortal for demon was almost as bad as to meet Slayer, since well, immortals were usually the ones to survive the encounter. And since you could never tell the difference between them and mortals, back then, until you had bitten them…" she glanced at Spike "…or got your own magic turned against you with interest" she shrugged "demons usually got more then they have bargained for. Thus the name – Enemy. Vampires especially loathed them because blood of immortals was poisonous to them and many of them slowly and painfully died after biting immortals or were simply slayed by their swords attempting to do it. And on the contrary to kill an immortal and survive the experience was quite a feat for any demon. I still remember D'Hoffryn bragging to me how he killed one immortal and managed not to get electrocuted".

"To kill an immortal" Willow murmured in confusion "I thought they were supposed to be well, immortal" she gave Cassandra a questioning look.

"Well not exactly", Cassandra replied, "You see on paper we can live virtually forever, but even we can be killed if you know how. Our live force that makes us immortal, ageless and immune to any disease…"

"Quickening?" Tara interrupted

"Yes" Cassandra confirmed, without annoyance "Our quickening can heal almost any damage or wound in very short time, so we usually don't stay dead for very long time"

"But…" Buffy prodded

"They cannot survive decapitation" Willow finished for her, word "eureka" written all over her excited face. Everyone in the room including Spike, who suddenly saw Willow in a different light, gave her a curious look.

"What?" Willow suddenly blushed "That was not that hard to figure out" she defended. "Almost anyone can't survive decapitation, right?", she turned for support to Giles, who could only stare.

"That would explain the sword" Spike agreed

"Exactly" Willow rewarded him with a beaming smile and then blushed again. While sword remark made Buffy to regard Cassandra as a possible threat again. Decapitating someone was no small feat indeed.

"You are correct" Cassandra, who watched the whole interchange with amusement, confirmed, "which bring us as back to the quickening…"

"Yes electrocuting part" Anya remarked and this time it was her turn to receive stares. But the hell would froze first before Anya blushed, and as if nothing happened she gracefully allowed Cassandra to continue by giving her an expectant look.

"Thank you" Cassandra nodded not without hint of sarcasm in her voice. She was starting to get impatient and wanted to finish with this part of interrogation as quickly as possible, especially because it wasn't something pleasant to talk about. So she decided to skip as many "irrelevant" details as possible. "When an immortal losses his head his live force - his quickening – is released from his body in a form of a destructive maelstrom of lightning. Usually there is always another immortal, the killer, to receive released quickening and incorporate it into his own, because usually it takes another immortal to kill an immortal. Anyone else mortal or demon alike would be smart to get from the body as fast as he can or risk being electrocuted."

"But… but you said the quickening is part of the soul…" Tara whispered utterly horrified by sudden realization.

"True" Cassandra softly confirmed Tara' worst fears regarding the girl with her suddenly ancient and sad eyes "You could say that we are eating each other souls" she whispered and instantly regretted it, she was so not going to mention the Game and now she let herself slip letting the cat out of the bag again.

"Woah!" now it was Buffy' turn to freak out "But it doesn't happen very often, right?"

"Oh, but it does" Cassandra hissed with unexpected anger, suddenly remembering the faces of all the dear friends she has lost in the wake of three millennia. "There are more than enough headhunters among immortals"

"But why?" Buffy, remembering her own dying mother, refused to comprehend "Why would someone who could live forever would go around chopping the heads of others of his kind?"

"The reasons…" Cassandra said with heavy sigh, thinking where to start so that girl would understand "The reasons are trivial and purely human ones. Power. Lack of purpose. Banal hatred. Oh and of course there is the Game." Cassandra said stressing the last word with disgust.

"What kind of game?" Buffy asked with dread and not really wanting to know the answer. "Wait I…" But it was already too late.

"Isn't it that game where all immortals have to fight to the death until there can be only one who gets the Prize?" Anya spited out whole sentence in the same breath.

'…don't want to know' Buffy finished sentence in her head.

"Yes" Cassandra answered with annoyed look "Last one standing wins the Prize" her voice suddenly adopted sarcastic tone.

"What Prize?" Giles asked with bewilderment and terror in his voice at the same time "What kind of prize can be worth that?"

"Ah, that is the best part of it" Cassandra painfully chuckled "No one knows!"

After long pregnant pause that followed Xander voiced the thoughts of most Scoobies:

"Well isn't it kinda…"

"Lame?" Anya finished for him.

"The same can be said about stalking in the night and feasting on humans for the rest of eternity" Spike suddenly joined conversation.

"Or until the Slayer puts the stake in your heart" Buffy corrected with an empty threat and sincere surprise on her face.

"Well yeah, but I thought we kinda agreed on that long ago" Xander replied completely missing interchange.

"Oh, please don't get me wrong, of course there are theories and speculations of what the Prize is, but what can be more frightening and more appealing at the same time than unknown?" Cassandra reasoned "For someone who can live forever, but has no purpose?"

That gave everyone in the room something to think about.

"But what about children?" Willow suddenly broke silence "Do you have to fight with them too?"

"They can't have children" Spike answered for Cassandra.

"True, all immortals are foundlings, that is another mystery" Cassandra confirmed and added with a painful smile "Thanks God for little favors" but after short pause noticing that not everyone understood what she wanted to say she explained "No parent should be able to outlive his children".

After another long pause it was Tara' turn to brake silence

"Wow I definitely wouldn't like to be a part of this Game" she wanted at first to say 'part of your world', but thought better of it.

Still Cassandra guessed what she had mind and felt that she ought to explain. "You must understand one thing. A lot of immortals do not want to participate in this Game, especially young ones who are at big disadvantage. Immortality has its joys as well: friendships that last for centuries, taking young immortals as students and teaching them about ways of immortality, preserving memories and legacy of dear mortal friends who are long ago gone. There are so many things in this world to see and experience, but there are just too many headhunters and other dedicated players, that you want it or not but you can't escape or ignore the Game. If you try to do that you will lose your head" she said with finality trying to make a point.

Another uncomfortable long pause.

"I just realized that we don't know how old you are" Giles said trying change the subject of conversation and to fish for some information at the same time, but then gentleman within got the better of him and he blushed. "Err.. sorry that was very impolite"

"Not at all" Cassandra smiled and before she could decide whether she should say them her true age or not Anya made the decision for her.

"Oh Cassandra is very old even by immortal standards, one of the few immortals born before the Truce and who are still alive. I recognized her instantly. She also has some unique abilities to add to immortal package. Very powerful" she added and turned to Spike "It was pretty stupid of you to leap on her like that"

"I know" Spike admitted to Anya' surprise "but she is somehow able to alter the presence of her quickening, first she feels as your regular immortal, then boom, your head explodes from within, how was I supposed to know they could do that?"

"And you both never dropped even a word you knew about them!" Giles accused with indignation

"You never asked" both Spike and Anya retorted with amazing synchrony.

Meanwhile Cassandra wasn't going to make the same mistake as Giles "How do you know so much about me?" She demanded from Anya with growing suspicion and didn't wait for answer "When you first time dropped D'Hoffryn' name it somewhat explained how you knew about immortals, but you seem to know way too much about me"

"She is a former vengeance demon" Xander replied as if that was supposed to explain everything.

"That's right" Anya confirmed not without a hint of pride "And while we demons are not allowed to interfere into your business that doesn't mean that we can't spy on you for our own amusement! You immortals are so exciting to observe with all of your personal vendettas, which span centuries, hell even millennia in your case. And you understand a great deal about vengeance, too. Even when I was vengeance demon I managed to learn few really nasty tricks from your kind. Yet you personally was somewhat disappointing lately" she accused Cassandra with a sincere look of worry and concern on her face "You had a perfect opportunity to take Pale Rider's head and totally blew it! Why?"

This simple question caught Cassandra completely flat-footed and she could only stare at Anya in shock for several long moments.

"Pale who?" Buffy asked totally clueless.

"The Death" Anya exclaimed as if Buffy was skipping classes at school and didn't know obvious "One of the Four Horsemen of Apocalypse from the Bible. They were also immortals by the way."

Now everyone else in the room was caught flat-footed too. Meanwhile Cassandra, who managed to recover from her initial shock, used this pregnant silence to drop a bomb.

"She is talking about Methos and he is currently eldest immortal alive and the last of the Four Horsemen. Very Dangerous. And he has Dawn."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 4

_2 days before_

During his extraordinary long life Methos didn't have a lot of students or a single immortal wife. That probably played no small part in his success as survivor as well. Simply because students and immortal wives usually meant more additional head-ache, literally, which could have been avoided for good. Nonetheless Methos had had a lot of mortal wives with whom he adopted and raised countless mortal children especially during the first millennium of his life, pre-Horsemen times, which he now considered to be the happiest period of his immortal life. So you could safely claim that Methos knew his way around children. Ultimately it were his own raised teenagers on whom he had first practiced his manipulation skills, which were now sharpened to perfection.

And now he had an opportunity to test them once again. Because if he wanted to reach his aims with as less unnecessary hassle as possible, he had to secure Key's cooperation or at least make sure she doesn't not resist his actions. In his vast experience Methos knew that combination of lies and half-truths was the best manipulator's tool. Victims virtually had no chance to find their way in this labyrinth if you played it right.

The revelation that Key is actually pre-immortal has actually made sense to him right now. Monks were in no way Gods after all and couldn't create life out of nothing even with the power of Key at their disposal. They had to find a suitable vessel for a Key which probably was not small challenge on its own as well! Using a pre-immortal child as a vessel whose quickening was silently waiting its turn to kick in at the moment of first death to hide Key and then erase poor kid' limited memories and replace them with their own lies was an ingenious plan with the back up of even more ingenious execution. Methos was definitely going to use this fact to his advantage and on this foundation to create his own web of lies.

So when the girl has finally regained her consciousness he has already decided on what to lie and how to lie. The whole process went even smoother than he expected. The girl was obviously used to supernatural so the concept of existence of immortal people was nothing special to her. She also seemed to like her "true" name he made up for her – Alexa. And the revelation that her grief-stricken father that for the last 6 months was searching for his lost daughter, kidnapped by heartless monks to use her for their own selfish goals, is now trying once again to protect his child, that can't even remember his face anymore, from the new menace, has left her in sentimental tears. Methos' lies had fall on fertile soil. Without even suspecting Methos solved girl' identity crisis and gave her a father figure she never truly had and at the same time even more weakening her already shattered connection to the Summers family.

Methos also did everything to cultivate the seeds of fear inside the girl. Even though he didn't lie about the danger to Dawn in the form of the infamous hellgod, he didn't try to diminish it in any way either to make her feel better, because it prevented her from contemplating the flaws in his story too much and gave her something else to think about – self-preservation and his plan to escape.

"I am not going to loose you again Alexa and I'll be damn if I will allow that joke of the god to hurt my little girl" – Methos finished with grim determination that almost could fool even himself, not even talking about Alexa Pierson.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"So if I understand you right …" Buffy paused to gulp "…Dawn is now in the hands of the…" Anya made an effort not to finish the question for Buffy "…Death?"

"Well I prefer to think of him as of a mass-murderer albeit immortal and very accomplished one" Cassandra obliged.

"Oh" Buffy gulped once again. "Why on earth did he kidnap her?"

"Does he work for Glory?" Xander offered his own speculation.

"I doubt it", Cassandra hurried to dismiss Scoobies' fears. "It would be a blatant violation of the Truce. And from what I know about him. He always has his own agenda. It is most likely he plans to use Key.." Buffy awarded her with a sharp glare "..Dawn for his own personal aims."

"Do you have any insight on what they might be?" Giles wondered.

"Hardly, his motivation and reasoning are very difficult to comprehend" Cassandra answered honestly. "Only one thing is certain however. Whatever they are it is big enough to make him cross Glory and interfere with the demon world. That is what really scares me."

"Which brings us back to the Truce" Anya offered her own insight. "By stealing Key from Slayer' protection, didn't he break the Truce and due some nasty punishment by Powers That Be?"

"Yes, unless the Truce was already broken by someone or something else" Cassandra explained. "That's what made it possible for me to be here in the first place"

"Good point" Spike reasoned. "Why are you helping us in the first place? And how do you happen to have such an insight on this whole Glory affair? Considering the fact that Dawn' being Key was supposed to be the most guarded secret in the whole bloody universe."

"I could answer that" Anya exclaimed excitedly drawing more unapproved looks from Xander and Giles.

"And why am I not surprised?" Giles was quick to mutter to himself.

"You see Cassandra is quite an accomplished seer" Anya spit out completely ignoring him and Cassandra. She was obviously enjoying this whole situation and opportunity to be "useful". "She is even an author of several books full with prophecies concerning Slayers, that Giles stores in his personal collection. Let me remember, ah yes, "Fate's Mirror", "Pergamum Codex"…

Now, Giles and Willow were really surprised.

"Wait, wait, wait… The Pergamum Codex?!" Giles exclaimed, followed by Willow:

"Isn't it the same book with the prophecy that Buffy was to die by Master's hand?" They looked at Cassandra with even more respect and awe, if it was even possible.

Meanwhile Slayer seemed to be obviously pissed with this revelation and unimpressed:

"I so owe you for that one" she said with unhidden sarcasm in her voice. Meanwhile immortal only offered an apologetic smile in return.

"Yes I am quite an experienced diviner" Cassandra confirmed "And that is exactly how I am planning to help you find Dawn".

"Still that didn't explain why are you helping us, Cassandra?" Spike persisted in his best inquisitive tone and by doing so drew everyone' in the room expecting eyes back to immortal witch.

Cassandra took a deep breath and a long moment before answering question, trying not to succumb to incoming flashback of the distant past with every effort that her power of will could muster.

"Because.." she started slowly and with the blank expression in her eyes allowing her words to sink in Scoobies' minds "…when he is done with the kid, he will discard her as if she were a useless piece of trash and anyone deserves better treatment than that".

After the long pause Tara, who remained silent for the most of conversation, broke the silence to everyone' surprise:

"Then what are waiting for?"

Cassandra awarded young witch with a soft smile: "That's the spirit".


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Glory was brooding. Not only her quest for the Key was going absolutely nowhere, but the necessity to stay in human form was getting the better of her sanity every passing day. The intervals between feedings on energy from human brains in order to keep her own mind intact were getting shorter and shorter, while the effect of feeding slowly but steadily decreased with the flow of time as well.

Jinx and Dreg, two lesser demons on hellgod's service knew better than to disturb master in her thoughts and were prudently keeping quiet, waiting to be beckoned at any moment.

Finally that moment has come.

"We are here at your service, supremely magnificent one", Dreg said in his usual submissive tone.

"Of course you are, you worthless sack of flesh" Glory snapped at frightened demon. "But unfortunately the Slayer appears not to be as smart as you. I gave her a chance to serve me, to bring me my key, yet she dared to turn back my generous offer!" Glory said with increasing anger in her voice almost screaming the last words and then suddenly calmed down again.

"It is time to send her a message. But whom to kill, whom to kill? How do you think? Should it be her own blood or a close friend? Mother or sister? A woman who gifted her live or annoying little pest of a sibling?" she wondered in her usual playful manner.

"Her sister is missing for the last three days and is nowhere to be found" Jinx reminded. "Meanwhile her mother is conveniently placed in the hospital waiting for your rightful vengeance, oh great one." Dreg informed with a murderous parody of a smile on his demonic face.

"Well, then let's pay a visit to the Slayer' mommy" The Beast said with finality in her voice.

The black SUV with the turned-off lights was silently piercing the twilight on the deserted road. The day was quickly succumbing to the night and the stars one by one started to appear on the cloudless sky plainly visible to two silent companions sitting side by side on the front seats of the ghost-like vehicle. Dawn Summers still had a lot of trouble thinking about herself as Alexa Pierson. However deep inside she desperately wanted to believe that she was something more than just the Key.

"Adam?" she whispered, still feeling uncomfortable calling the man sitting near by – "Dad". Nonetheless she experienced a strange affection bordering on the feeling of compassion to a man who was supposed to be her father.

"Yes?", Methos softly answered her call.

"Tell me more about my real Mum, please" she paused "you have mentioned she died couple of years ago" she added carefully.

"Your mother, was an exceptional woman, albeit mortal one, unlike us" Methos answered trying to bring back the memories of his last wife and the pain he felt when she died, for a lie to appear as sincere as possible. "Her name was Alexa"

"Was I named after…?" Dawn carefully tried to ask.

"Yes"

"Oh…how did she…?"

"We lost her to cancer, Alexa" Methos softly whispered. Dawn couldn't not to remember her "fake" mother - Joyce and her condition. The idea of her passing away chilled her to the bone, no matter how hard she tried to resist it and think of her as an alien person.

Methos instinctively felt the inner battle going inside the teenager and decided to press the matter.

"At least when she died we could share the pain of this loss together..." he said as if he was reliving that pain again "but those monks" he added with spite in his voice "they took away even that" he finished, his voice trembling. That did the trick.

"Dad…" Dawn said with the trembling voice full of compassion "I am so sorry".

"Don't be" Methos replied "it is not your fault. And…I have got you to remind me of her for the rest of eternity" He added with the weak smile that could have fooled anyone.

The silence once again took reign in the SUV, leaving both companions to their thoughts. Methos felt slight guilt about using the memories of his beloved wife and more importantly naming the kid after her for his lies to appear as sincere as possible in order to trick the kid into believing he was her father! But he deemed it to be absolutely necessary for his deception to work. He wouldn't be able to pull this out if he didn't feel a lot of sympathy to the girl in the first place, he reasoned. And it was better for her if she was traveling with him willingly anyway. So guilt was something that Methos could always stretch and no wonder, because he had a lot of experience at doing so in the past!

Moreover he had another very good reason to want Dawn to start thinking about herself as Alexa Pierson as soon as possible. Names had power over the people in this universe. And if someone knew how to use this power it was possible to trace the location or destination point of anyone anywhere on the material world or even beyond. And Methos definitely didn't want Slayer or Beast to be on his tail. It wasn't enough just to change the name in the documents though. The person in question had to start thinking about herself as another person under another name. Thus the transition would have to take some time, but at least he felt it already started.

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	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

All night long till the first rays of sun set the eastern horizon on fire, Cassandra and two young witches were fruitlessly attempting to locate Dawn. The rest of the Scoobies patiently waited for results and tried not to interfere with the process of clairvoyance leaving it to those who really knew what they were doing. However every passing hour without any positive results was taking its painful toll especially on those who could do nothing but wait.

However, the morale of Willow and Tara was still very high despite failure after failure. During this night alone they have learned more about clairvoyance magic then during last year and this fact alone probably helped them going. Cassandra could only admire the zeal and commitment with which two young witches were trying to find their friend. She has already explained to them what they were doing wrong during last three days and taught them how to penetrate more advanced forms of protection. However she warned them not to get too excited because in her opinion in this particular case the problem was with the method itself rather than execution.

There were two main, completely different methods of locating people using clairvoyance magic. The first one, practiced by Willow and Tara involved personal items, photos or parts (like locket of hair or removed nails) of person in question. It was very effective and simple that virtually any novice witch could have mastered it to some degree of competence, yet it was still easily countered by really strong wards or talismans that were not that uncommon. There were ways to penetrate them too of course, but the price you had to pay for it usually were not worth it or you ought to have something more substantial of a person you were looking for, for example an eye or a hand.

Methos definitely had picked up some useful trinkets during his eventful life and probably was successfully using them now, Cassandra figured, so she persuaded young witches to try something completely different and new for them - the second method which she practiced herself. It was more difficult to master, because it were using the link between the person and his past or name and required some amount of experience, but it had one huge advantage over the first method - it couldn't be blocked and virtually had no boundaries. If the link was strong enough an experienced practitioner could trace the person whether she was dead or alive and the distance didn't matter.

'They think they are still learning' Cassandra thought to herself regarding the girls, trying to understand what helps them to absorb one failure after another and keep going, but she knew better. Although Willow and Tara still were not very experienced in this kind of magic and this method was new territory for them, they were extremely talented witches and it were compensating their lack of practice. They were doing everything right, it is just the link was too weak and when Methos takes Dawn far enough it would become completely untraceable.

On the other hand the link was supposed to be weak, for the Dawn only spent 6 months with the Summers family and virtually had no past, but there still was her name and memories to work with, and no matter how fake they are, they would do as long as she dwelled on them! This realization raised even more dark suspicions in Cassandra' mind for she on personal experience what the Last Horseman was capable of. Finally she decided to end these futile attempts and share her thoughts on the matter with young witches.

"It is not your fault Tara, it is just Dawn' link to her past, to Buffy, to her mother is not strong enough" Cassandra quietly stated, fully understanding the implications of her words.

"But…" Tara still refused to believe and was cut off by Willow:

"Let's not put it this way to Buffy, okay?" Red-head witch whispered in conspirational tone, trying to protect her friend.

"You mentioned that if we were closer to Dawnie it could still work?" Tara asked, hope never abandoning her voice.

"Definitely, just one strong lasting emotion or saying her name aloud, could be enough" Cassandra admitted.

"That's right, let's blame the distance, because anything will sound better than saying the real reason in all its heart-breaking glory" Willow shrugged, and three women went to join the rest of the Scoobies.

"So what are we going to try now?" Buffy asked with sad voice, after hearing the news.

"I still have my divination talents" Cassandra tried to reassure Buffy. "Although they might need some prodding to awaken".

"It is not easy to control them, but I had a lot of experience" Cassandra explained, confident in her abilities.

"Are you going to be alright?" Buffy asked with genuine concern in her eyes.

"Don't worry Slayer, there is little in this world that can do a permanent damage to immortal." Cassandra replied with smile intentionally using "Slayer" word.

"Ok, you need anything just ask Anya to bring it you" Buffy tried to smile back, "She knows this place better than anyone".

It took Cassandra only ten minutes to concentrate. She allowed everyone to stay in the room. It was part of her training in the Order 3 millennia ago to be able to glimpse into the future in public for bigger effect. For some reasons the gifts of donators were always more generous when they could see the process of divination unraveling before their eyes.

The visions were sometimes too intense and unclear, only bits and pieces, that could hardly be of any use, and almost always accompanied by pain. Every time she foolishly thought she got used to it she was being proved wrong time and again. Though it didn't hurt so much anymore, it always caught her by surprise, when she least expected it. Sometimes her visions were muted, but it was usually compensated by an exceptional clearness. This time it was one of such visions.

First thing she saw was never-ending ocean before her eyes. She could almost feel the breeze on her skin and smell of sea, but could not hear the sound of waves rushing to her feet. It was a very weird feeling. She was standing on the coast. Instinctively she turned her head to the right and the first thing she saw was perfectly round 10-feet high swirling bluish portal with traces of white here and there. She wondered if it created any sound.

Then she noticed Him busy throwing packages of various size through the portal at incredible speed. And then she finally noticed Her standing alone, staring into the ocean with an empty stare, holding one arm close to the upper-body. She tried to come closer, but with every step she took the girl seemed to flow away from her at the similar distance so she halted. Then he finally finished with packages and stood right behind her gently putting one hand at her shoulder. He then said her something with a strange expression on his face, which features she could never forget and became to loathe so much. She nodded once slightly and then turned her face and body right in the direction where Cassandra was standing. Her eyes were wet and seemed to look right through Cassandra. Then she said something once and though Cassandra couldn't hear what she said, she could swear that girl's voice was trembling. A single tear ran down her cheek and then she turned away and without hesitation accepted his offered hand. In the next several moments they were gone only leaving the swirling portal behind them.

Then it was over. Her senses came back to her and she found her self staring at the wall. She tilted her head in opposite direction with the grim expression on her beautiful face only to notice that everyone in the room was holding her/his breath staring at her, except Spike that didn't breath.

"Now, this was weird" Xander' melodical voice echoed everyone' thoughts.

"What have you seen?" Anya exclaimed, obviously dying from anticipation. "Your eyes were wide open and your face seemed to be carved out of stone".

"Yes", Giles agreed with the last statement removing his glasses "I haven't seen anything like that in my life".

"Oh sodding hell, let her talk" Spike jumped from the stairs, where he was sitting to everyone surprise, anticipation and tension getting the better of him too.

Only Buffy, Willow and Tara remained silent waiting with dread for Cassandra to speak.

Cassandra took a deep breath and then fixed her eyes on Slayer.

"They will go through the portal" she said calmly "Yet, the portal will remain" she was quick to add

Buffy didn't respond she only stared back at Cassandra with despair written all over her face. The last sentence obviously failed to make her feel better.

Xander seeing how Buffy failed to react in her usual manner, decided to come to the rescue

"Then we stop them before they do" he came up with the plan. Yet Cassandra only shook her head.

"No, you don't understand. My visions don't work like that. They have a tendency to come true".

"How often?" Xander foolishly challenged, trying to find a way out of the hopeless situation at any cost.

"Always" Cassandra said with a hint of regret, but she still felt like she ought them all an explanation. "You see,.. my visions are not Fate's warning. They are Fate's judgment" She stopped for a breath. "I wish it was different. I really wish it was the other way around. But they will go through the portal and it is as real as the ashes of Troy" she said leaving no place for arguments only uncomfortable silence in the air.

"Then we shall follow" Spike promised, feeling he owed it to Slayer for letting Dawn to get her hands on Giles' damn diaries.

"I am not leaving my Mum" Buffy confessed with a heavy sigh as if she was suppressing these words inside her all this time.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Methos was pleased with himself. They were reaching their destination point by car and still had plenty of time left on their hands. The crossing between the worlds had to take place at the very specific moment, if he wanted to appear as close to the Minas Anor, The Tower of the Setting Sun, as possible and not somewhere else in the Middle-earth in the middle of the nowhere. He wondered how the city looked like now after so many years passed and if it was even still there in one piece!

He had everything prepared already, so they had nowhere to rush. That's why he decided to make this journey by car all the way from Sunnydale to Seacouver, the coastal city in Washington State. He had planned to use his own private jet, conveniently parked at Sunnydale, originally. But thanks to a streak of good luck he was ahead of the schedule anyway and decided to spend some time in the closed space with his brand new daughter in order to create that very necessary bond between them.

Father or not the girl obviously seemed to like him. His craftily made up stories from their past thrilled her to no end and saddened at the same time. The concept of owning her own blade pleased her immensely. She was always denied these kind of sharp objects while living with Summers family and that earned her father 5 additional cool points on her scale. After he explained that it was virtually her only personal possession that remained after monks kidnapped her she couldn't wait to hold it in her hands again.

The last revelation, that completely dismissed any last doubts she had about him, Methos intentionally saved for this purpose. After they stopped for some rest in a hotel on their way to Seacouver, he empirically proved to her that he could really feel her presence whenever she was near - just one of those special bonds between immortal parents and children as he put it to her. At the same time in the joking manner warning her never even to try to sneak on him in the future.

He was slowly but steadily filling that void inside her that was formed after she found out she was not really Dawn Summers at all, with his own appealing lies. And even more sooner than he first expected she would be eating from his hands and trusting him with her life. That was a good thing he supposed because the opportunity to test her faith in him would come pretty soon. She already knew the details of his plan to escape and more importantly the reasons why it was necessary.

"We are going to kill two birds with one stone, Alexa. We will escape from the Beast and give you a chance of a normal live without Key. Because with Key comes power, Alexa. And while you posses that power you will always be a target and won't feel safe" He emphatically reasoned to her again.

Of course he had no idea how to remove the Key out of her, unless taking her head. And even then he couldn't predict the consequences. But he pragmatically supposed that no one is perfect and his "daughter" would forgive him when he fails to do so.

"And you are going to love Middle-Earth, it is a wonderful world which is kind of grows on you after awhile" he continued "You will loose your breath when we climb to the very top of The Tower of the Setting Sun" he promised.

She smiled weakly in return "Is it a long way to climb?" she asked skeptically.

"Well.. yes" Methos admitted. "But you can make bigger part of it on the back of the horse" he was quick to add with a smirk on his face.

"Horse?!" she exclaimed with surprise on her face.

"You don't know even the half of it" Methos answered mysteriously while they were passing the sign that indicated they have just crossed the border of Seattle.

R&R!

yay I hit 10k words!


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Cassandra foreseen that something like this could happen and she didn't need her talent of foresight to do so. While Slayer could have been an invaluable ally in any quest, especially in rescueing Dawn from the likes of Methos, though he was one of a kind she suspected, Cassandra considered herself to be resourceful enough to overcome any obstacle with Slayer or not, and was quickly forming a plan in her head.

Meanwhile the Scobies for the last fifteen minutes, ever since Buffy departed to hospital to check on Joyce were agitatedly discussing their own options and odds in small groups. Willow, who volunteered to accompany Buffy to hospital, but was politely rejected by Slayer, who obviously needed some time in private, was confident of their abilities to track Dawn and bring her back to big sister and mother. The others however were not so sure of themselves. After sudden loss of their leader, the unknown of the portal frightened them more than it normally would. Only Spike, who was formally not part of the Scoobies, already seemed to made up his mind and was patiently regarding brooding Cassandra from one of the more darker corners of Magic Box.

Cassandra finally more or less content with her plan of actions raised her head and waited for an eye contact with one of the Scoobies. Willow was the first to notice her change in behaviour for she was occasionally stealing glances on her all this time. She immediately quited her conversation effectively putting it to a halt and approached Cassandra.

"So do we have a plan?" she asked Cassandra with expectaion in her voice. Though she knew Cassandra for a very short period of time, she has already gained a lot of respect to this ancient immortal witch during the last hours and instinctively regarded her to be next-in-command in this quest, while the Buffy was absent.

"Yes" Cassandra answered with encouraging smile, bringing everyone's attention to herself. "I know the area where the portal will be opened" she stated with confidence "It will take place somewhere on the coast in Washington State. Most likely near by Seacouver, but not necessary. We must be there as soon as possible and then try to locate Dawn again" She finished, avoiding going into too many details.

"No offense, but are you sure three of you will be able to do it this time?" Spike inquired.

"Probably, not until the very last moment before they cross the border" Cassandra admited, but not supplying the reason why she thought so. "That's why we must be in the area, ready to follow"

"But we will never make it in time" Anya wasn't impressed, not so much with the plan, but with the whole idea of following.

"I have a jet at our disposal" Cassandra easily countered. "That's how I got here from Scotland in the first place" She explained to everyone in the room.

"But what about Buffy?" Anya threw her last ace on the table out of desperation.

"She has made her choice, haven't you seen?" Cassandra asked back with an unexpectedly soft and sad voice, fully understanding what Anya really wanted to say. "Now it is our turn." Another uncomfortable pause followed her words. If Cassandra learned one thing during her long life really well, it was to get her point to other people, whether they wanted to hear it or not, even when not using the power of Voice.

Suddenly the phone rang. Its mechanicaly created noise was intrusively piercing the silence in Magic Box. Anya quickly went to answer the call grating whatever Powers That Be that sent it along the way, but few moments after instantly regreted doing so.

"It was Dr. Jones from the hospital. Buffy is hurt and, and Joyce is no more." she barely whispered the last words to everyone's utter horror, without any traces of color left on her face.

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"She, she has cheated me!" Glory screamed in fury and disbelief at the same time, standing over the the dead body of Joyce Summers. "How did she dare to die before I could kill her?!" She screamed again to no one in particular.

She took several deep breathes to calm herself down and then effectively stunned the nurse, who have just entered the room attracted by her screams, her eyes never leaving the immobile body of Joyce.

"And what do we have here?" She asked Joyce playfully, pretending that she was still alive and then with one quick and effortless movement tore off the medallion from her dead body.

"Maybe it still doesn't have to be a complete waste of my time" She said with satisfaction after she saw what was inside and then received a hit with a chair over her head from behind. Completely unafected by the hit she still deceivingly bend forward and countered next Slayer' attack with foot into her stomach, which send the later flying through the room on the collision course with the wall. The impact forced any air in the Slayer' lungs out, leaving her breathless, but still conscious on the floor.

The Beast, not wasting a moment, was over Buffy in less than two seconds, grabbed her by the neck with right hand and then effortlessly lifted her from the ground. Meanwhile with the other hand it was teasingly demonstrating medallion with one of the Dawn's more recent photos inside.

"Take a good look at your little sister, cuz she will be next" Beast lied for it couldn't take responsibility for the death of Joyce, who died of natural reasons, and then dropped Buffy back on the floor.

Glory took one last triumphant look at helpless Slayer, pleased with herself and that her deception seemed to work, and then left the room taking the medallion with the picture of Dawn away.

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A/N I got "unaccessible boot device" message when trying to start my PC this morning. It doesn't mean I will stop updating the story for now, because I am commited to finishing it at least to the point where everyone' business at home is solved. But it probably means that I will start updating with longer intervals and bigger chapters. So please bear with me and read and review of course:)


	11. Chapter 11

A/N Ok this took a little bit longer than I expected. I thought I will be able to update this story using my smart phone, but for some reason I can't log in with it to the system and can only browse site. Oh well let's hope the story at least will gain in quality thanks to my technical problems. Back on track.

Chapter 11

Buffy felt completely exhausted – physically and mentally. She had no sleep for more than 24 hours and post-adrenaline rush effects didn't help her current state at all. Sharp pain in her chest indicated that one of her ribs could be broken, but all of it was irrelevant now. After all she was used to physical pain, but the same thing couldn't be said about what she experienced deep inside now. She couldn't even begin to compare it to physical pain , because there was just nothing to compare in the first place. The pain of loosing her mother forever just simply wasn't there.

It would come later, but the last three days in search for Dawn, which culminated in her mother being hospitalized, followed by shocking revelation that she was loosing not only physical ties to Dawn, but their emotional ties as well, had robbed her off terribly in mental department.

So there she was standing by the deathbed of her mother, looking down at her body, trying to grieve, but not being able to, wanting to cry, but tears just wouldn't come out, blaming herself for her death in a desperate attempt to feel something, anything, but it wouldn't work, despising herself for feeling nothing, but her concience wouldn't care. Pain would come later, just not now.

It took Willow to stop her keep trying and leave the room with the body and Cassandra to help her stop thinking and succumb to the healing power of sleep, something she will be grateful to them for the rest of her life. Meanwhile Giles after some consideration did everything in his power to accelerate the release of Joyce' body and preparations for burial, Cassandra's Voice taking care of everyone he couldn't "handle" one way or another. It seemed to be a right thing to do at the moment if only for the reason that it allowed them to keep their options open. He didn't fail to notice the other aspect of Cassandra's Voice however. Apart from healing effect it had on people, it could have been used for entirely different purposes, for example to turn them into Cassandra's puppets ready to do anything she wished or to make them forget a thing or two. He wondered about the extent of this ability and control Cassandra had over it, but he would worry about the danger being manipulated later. He had promised to himself that everything will be ready when Buffy awakes and was intending to keep his word no matter what.

The ceremony took place late in the evening of the same day on one of the countless Sunnydale' cemetries and was finished just before the sunset. Buffy seemed to be more or less content with it , changing only a detail or two, not because they were out of place, but for the sake of getting more involved with the whole thing, trying to make it feel more personal.

When everyone was present including Spike who lurked in the shadows of a near by crypt, Cassandra took over the role of cleric.It just didn't feel right "to persuade" someone against his will to participate in something like this and it also allowed Giles to simply grieve with the others. She had spent more than one lifetime being priestess of various dieties especially in the first several centuries of her life and was more than familiar with her duties even though she never favoured them for personal reasons. It just brought back too many painful memories from the distant past.

Buffy and the others didn't object and were not disappointed with her performance. Slayer was finally able to cry for the first time since the death of her mother. The waves of pain assaulting her one after the other felt all too real and personal now.

After everything was said and done only Buffy and Cassandra were still standing there by the grave. The former was visibly more calmed and at piece with herself, while the later was drown in one of the more intense flashbacks from her past, staring at the grave with an empty look.

"You know what" Buffy said bringing Cassandra back to her senses. "I heard what you, Tara and Willow said about Dawn last night" She stated as the matter of fact. "Slayer' hearing", she explaned simply.

"Let me tell you a story" Cassandra replied suddenly, turning her eyes away from Buffy back to the grave. "Once very long time ago in the Bronze Age there was a girl dwelling in the desert, leading nomadic life with the tribe of her foster father. She was chosen one day to become the healer of her tribe, dedicating her life to serving the Gods, just like her father, Hijad" she pronounced the name with affection.

"She was still learning the ways of her art, helping her tribe to endure nomadic lifestyle they led. Until one day her world ceased to exist and she was dead with the rest of her tribe, slaughtered by the swords of four masked monsters riding on horsebacks. But she didn't stay dead for long." Cassandra paused.

"You live as long as I wish it' he said to her, but she didn't believe him at first and then he killed her again and again and again." Buffy could almost feel the pain in Cassandra's voice.

"But..." Cassandra continued, now with bitter sarcasm in her voice "...he always brought her back to life or so she thought. She has even tried to escape from their camp if only to die in the desert. But he always found her with ease and was there to revive her in time, amused by her futile attempts to escape him in death. The other slaves were calling him Death so one day she started to believe that he was a God, Her God, albeit ruthless and merciless, but a God nonetheless. And the Gods were to be obeyed and venerated. It made her feel special you know, that from all the slaves he had chosen her to serve him and to share his bed, so she served him well and Her God was pleased. He had stopped forcing himself onto her and there was really no need for this anymore, for she had submited not only her body to him, but her mind as well. He had even pretended he cared for her" Cassandra said with sarcastic laugh escaping her lips.

"Ultimately she had even forgotten he had killed her father and left his body rot in the desert. The father she loved and mourned so much, but never got a chance to give a proper burial" she finished with a hint of guilt and regret in her voice.

Buffy who was listening to Cassandra with attention and growing dread made an effort to ask a question:

"Why are you telling me all of this?"

"Because I want you to understand what kind of a..." Cassandra briefly paused hesitating to use the word "...man is with Dawn right now and what he is capable to do to her mind. He is the most skilled manipulative bastard you will probably ever meet in your life and is more than sufficiently proficient at screwing up other people' heads" she pressed the point looking Buffy straight in the eyes now. "So whatever happens, do not blame Dawn. She will need you more than you can imagine" she said emphatically.

"And I need her" Buffy whispered, her eyes fullof tears again. Cassandra just softly embraced her in response.

"She is after Dawn now, you know" Buffy said not leaving Cassandra' arms. "I mean Glory. I don't think she knows yet, but I have this strange feeling that she will find out. We must not waste any time."

"I know" Cassandra softly replied letting her go " We must care for the living first and then honor our dead".

"There will be a hell to honor" Slayer swore by her mother' grave, her face taking a completely different expression this time.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N Thanks for your replies people, they are really appreciated. Methos' & Dawn' exploits in Middle Earth were supposed to be the major plot line in this story, but since I still experience problems "departing" them from Earth in a proper way I am not ready to spill any beans yet. So please bear with me.

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Chapter 12

Dreg was choking with fear. The demon was certain that he would be lucky to cheat his way in one piece out of this dire situation, he suddenly found himself in. He had volunteered to locate Slayer' sister, wishing to earn his master' favor and now was cursing himself for being so "careless" with what he wished. He should have known better, he should have learned from his mistakes, but it was too late now.

"What do you mean 'you can't find her'?" Glory hissed at the demon slowly walking in circles around him, forcing unpleasant associations of cat and mouse into his mind. "You still possess that picture I gave you, don't you?" She asked with undisguised threat behind her question.

"Of course I do, your eternal sublimity" Dreg was quick to dismiss her suspicions, with a trembling hand demonstrating medallion with photo of Dawn inside in support of his words. "She is just warded by very powerful magic or the place where she is hiding is" he added with weak voice. He really didn't want to go into THAT territory.

"Then break through it" Glory scolded him, as if he was a clueless idiot.

Dreg risked a quick glance at Jinx, whose caricature of a face wore an expression of predator smelling blood and didn't dare to lie.

"It's just a caster needs to remove one of his.. eyeballs during the ritual, if he wants to succeed" he confessed with terror, expecting to meet the butt-end of Glory's eternal sublimity and rightly so. Beast stopped moving and awarded him with amused look and a strange spark in her eyes, promising nothing good.

"Well that don't allow this... minor... inconvenience to stop you from serving me, my lumpy friend" she said with sadistic smile crossing her pretty face.

"It is not that you are going to need it, if you fail to please me, anyway" she made a deadly point and after few moments of silence, allowing her words to sink in, was back to her usual playful self.

"So.. you need my help ripping it out?" her voice full of hope wouldn't take "no" for an answer.

Dreg was too terrified to response, while Jinx licked his lips in anticipation.

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The flight form Sunnydale to Seacouver was going to take a little bit less than three hours. The preparation for a journey has took even less than that and could be considered basic at best. Scoobies were just too preoccupied with the ceremony and their grief to care for anything else. So when it was time to depart, they were out of steam and forced to rush things. Also the fact that Giles, Xander, Willow and Tara desperately needed some sleep didn't help their cause at all.

Buffy was the only exception of the whole lot of them. In cool blood, fancy slaying outfit was discarded in favor of more loose and practical outdoor gear. She was obviously the only one to really listen to Cassandra' advise to consider more practical clothes. Methos and Dawn in the vision hadn't left an impression of people taking a picnic trip. They were up to some serious amount of travel. A pair of plain looking traveling boots on Slayer' feet instead on something more fashionable and to her tastes better than anything demonstrated how serious she was. Elegance be damned, she still have retained her natural grace to compensate for it.

What concerned weapons she was armed to the teeth. Her change in gear allowed to extend her already formidable arsenal. She could swear she had gained one more kilo or two from all the additional daggers and throwing knives safely hidden on her. It was going to take some time to get used to a slight shift of balance. She had also her old trusted crossbow to worry about, which she planned to carry on her back, not talking about a sword she was bound to pick up eventually. Buffy didn't forget her favorite stake to complete the picture. Hunting vampires or not, Slayer and stake were supposed to be inseparable and it was a good way to keep Spike in line, though she didn't really plan to revise her no-stake pact with him.

The rest of the group wore more casual clothes, but obliged to bring more practical foot-gear. Spike, who managed to book the last ticket on jet thanks to Buffy' benevolence, had on him only his usual clothes and wicked looking black blade, which in Cassandra' skeptical opinion was more suited for torture and intimidation purposes than actual fighting. Witches brought with them only what they needed to locate Dawn and the key ingredients for the most common spells they practiced. While watcher and Xander managed group's scarce supplies which consisted of some food, water and bolts for Buffy' crossbow. Each sported a sword and Giles brought one for Buffy' as well. Cassandra did a mental check to get them something more solid at first opportunity and even considered looting Duncan' dojo at Seacouver. Highlander stayed in Paris nowadays anyway. Although watcher and and boy were thinking in right direction, their swords were just ugly and of mediocre craftsmanship. The sword they brought for Buffy was actually pretty decent, but such an accomplished Slayer like her just deserved something more elegant and deadly than what they had to offer.

Of all the Scoobies only Anya decided to be original by bringing a rather intimidatingly looking assault rifle and crapload of ammunition to everyone' utter shock.

"Do not point that bloody thing at me" Spike was the first to regain his senses, mostly thanks to the very same reason that made him unhappy.

"Don't worry, I don't know how to handle this boy yet" ex-vengeance demon tried to assure him with a silly smile.

"That's exactly what I am worrying about, Anya!" her smile faded in an instant.

"And what do you care? It is not that it's going to kill you anyway" she defended her right to bear arms now.

"It still hurts like a bitch!" Spike protested.

"That's your surprise?!" Xander cut it, obviously not impressed as well. "Geez, Ann

have you seen yourself in the mirror? We are rescuing Dawn, not joining the god damn rebels in Mozambique!" he complained more pissed off with the fact that his girlfriend was patting infamous AK-47 instead of one of the rifles on American Military Service. And the Scoobies just didn't use guns! On principle!

"Well yeah, but isn't kinda stupid to go after Pale Ryder with sword? I mean you are going to loose that saber of yours in first 5 seconds of fight!" Anya turned her eyes to others for support.

"This is not saber, it is scimitar" Xander retorted, quickly realizing he couldn't hope to win that particular argument.

"She still has a point" Giles could only humbly agree with Anya' reasoning, regreting he never really got proficient with any kind of fire arms.

"Yeah" Buffy agreed with her watcher and regarded one of her favorite toys with critical gaze. "That thing makes my crossbow to look so.. obsolete."

"Maybe, but swords still won't hurt" Cassandra reasoned. "Methos values his neck above anything else. Sword is good demonstration of intent"

"Geez, Ann one would expect you at least to support good ole Uncle Sam" Xander muttered with disappointment.

"She was born 800 years before U.S. were founded" Willow pointed out smiling, better than anyone knowing the real reason behind her best friend's distress.

"Well I am still not carrying that box of illegal, communist ammunition" Xander stated with disgust.

"Fine" Anya rolled her eyes, grabbed the box with both hands and headed towards the door, leading out of Magic Box.

Tara who remained silent through the whole exchange couldn't restrain her natural curiosity anymore:

"Am I the only one wondering where did she got her hands on that rifle?" she asked carefully, being the first one to actually call the "thing" by its name.

Anya halted in doors and replied with dignity:

"I run business on hellmouth. I've got connection for God's sake."

"What connections? What business? We don't do guns!" realization finally dawning on Giles.

"Oops" Anya realized she compromised herself and with a sheepish grin tried to explain "well you don't, I do.. you know .. just occasional bit of freelance here and there..nothing serious... guns for townsfolk, kittens for Spike.."

Vampire glared and Anya realized she had compromised not only her activities, so before she could spill anymore beans quickly disappeared behind the doors.

"Kittens?!" Buffy exclaimed looking completely dumbfounded and glared at Spike.

"I.. will help Anya to load ammo into the van." Spike tried to evade, rushing towards the door with a Slayer on his tail, and then both disappeared as well.

"Well, I guess we are ready to go" Giles removed his glasses, shaking his head. "Oh and when we get back, remind me to fire Anya"


End file.
